The cookoff that launched a thousand
cookoffs (all on the same network) is back for another go round (number
18 in a series), with four more chefs, three more baskets, and $10,000
burning a hole in Ted Allen's pockets.

Patrick's salad comes with a roasted
ragout, making the ingredients better, but there was a lot of butter in
the cake, making it greasy. Millie's presentation was risky, but
rewarding. The crabs were overdone. Hayan's salad was beautiful,
highlighting the kohlrabi, almost beyond reproach, but there were pieces
of cake in the salad. Jeffrey's soup is fresh and citrusy, but the
flavors needed to be amped up a bit.

The first chef... to be chopped... is...
MILLIE. The crab was overdone, and the aperitif was a bad idea.

Round 2: ENTREE (30 minutes).And then there were three left to take on this
box... seafood paella, ground chicken, dry sherry, and bread & butter pickles.

Each paella contains exactly three
mussels, three clams, and four shrimp.

Hayan's croquettes did not make it onto
the plate. The judges still manage to taste all of the secret
ingredients in the chicken and vegetable side items. Jeffrey's "family
meal" style dish is very well composed, but it's not a dish that doesn't
stay together all at once. Patrick's risotto is spicy, but the textures
are there. The already-cooked rice is overdone, and the chicken sausage
is dry. The dish, though, is put together.

The next chef... to be chopped... is...
PATRICK. The dish outweighed the lack of paella on Hayan's dish.

Round 3: DESSERT (30 minutes).
Hayan has one last chance to redeem herself, while Jeffrey is looking for
vindication on his own.
Both will face the challenge of... cinnamon whiskey, phyllo dough, Brazil nuts,
and rose hip jam.

Jeffrey has a very nice presentation, but
the phyllo's raw. The texture of all the other components were smooth.
Hayan's ice cream is overwhipped. It tastes like butter. But there's a
glossiness of the presentation.

The final chef... to be chopped... is...
HAYAN. She was very humble throughout the proceeding, but the ice cream
became butter.

So it's all about JEFFREY FORREST,
winning sweet vindication in the form of $10,000 and the title of
Chopped Champion.

Now our attention turns to the next
battle. One player is going to be paid, and the other three are going to
be CHOPPED.